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Uncle Bill has generously decided to allow us to download a beta version of the new XP64 which is designed for implementation with the AMD 64 bit chip. Honestly I was a little skeptical about the whole process, but I liked the idea of being able to run my x86 32 bit applications and be able to run some 64 bit applications at the same time. Being able to do both at the same time is a huge advantage. The only practical reason to use a 64 bit operating system is for mathematically oriented solution implementation I use it for working on some large math problems and of course the Captain Fractal Project.

Why would Uncle Bill be giving away 365 days of free XP64 product registration? I know the answer it is rather simple it has to do with the fact that the operating system for Windows XP64 requires drivers that are 64 bit while it will run most software that is 32 bit x86 driver compatibility is a huge issue. So basically if you are not running a standard rig with an AMD 64 chip and a Gigabyte GA-K8N Pro nForce3 150 chipset you are going to have a hard time getting drivers. In fact the good people at Gigabyte don?t even bother to ship the 64 bit drivers with the motherboard. I actually had to force the driver installation on my Realteck TRL8169/8110 Family Gigabit Ethernet NIC so that I could download other drivers from the internet.

The good people at http://www.planetamd64.com have some helpful information that allowed me to get through the instillation process. I will be putting together a full account of what I had to do to get the Operating System up and running with a complete list of links that were used here in the next couple days. Right now I am going back to the coding and recoding.

Computer technology has changed and will continue changing. When I think of buying computer technology, I think of the world of computers in terms of three tiers the current behind the technology lag computer, the former behind the technology lag computer, and of course the computer that is setting the technology standard. Understanding that rapid change will always be a part of buying a computer you need to protect your investment by being aware of how long it will take for the computer that you just bought to be behind the technology lag. It is also important to note at this moment that when technology falls behind the technology lag curve the price drops substantially then that technology disappears being replaced with the next big thing. The technology mantra is out with the old in with the new, early and often.

Current behind the technology lag computer system is running a Pentium? 4 Processor at 2.66GHz with 533MHz front side bus, 256 megabytes of Ram, 20 gigabyte hard drive, and a DVD player, maybe even a built in network card. A desktop system at this range is probably going to be offered with a 17 inch monitor. Deficits of this technology package are lack of a Compact Disc Writer (CDRW/CDR) or a Digital Video Disk Writer (DVDR/DVDRW), a smaller monitor at 17 inches, a smaller hard drive when hard drive size is exploding some of them are now over 200 gigabytes, and the biggest drawback in my mind the lack of 512 megabytes of ram. (Estimated total cost for this system $600-$900)

Now that we know what technology is currently behind the technology lag we can look at the computer that pushed the curve and could be charting the course for the future? We are talking about the new AMD Athlon 64 FX-51 Processor, 1GB Registered DDR SDRAM PC-3200, 120GB Seagate Serial ATA 8MB Cache, and the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra 256MB. This is a less than learn, mean gaming machine, that is going to carry the field in every category that the current behind the technology lag computer has with a 8x DVDRW and the 30? NEC LCD3000 monitor. What sets this computer configuration apart is the ultimate graphics card with 256 megabytes of graphics memory which is equal to the Ram in the previous computer, the 64 bit processor which is a infinitely better than the 32 bit processors of old thing about it this way if you were drinking soda from a can with a straw and all of a sudden your straw doubled in size you would be able to drink twice as fast! In this case the computer is able to process functionally twice as fast because the processor space as doubled allowing for way more space to crunch the big numbers. (Estimated total cost for this system $3000-$4000)

1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support with Onsite Service

Alienware Full-Tower Case (420-Watt PS) – Cyborg Green

AMD Athlon 64 FX-51 Processor with HyperTransport Technology

Ajigo High Performance Heatsink / Fan Unit for Athlon 64 Processors

ASUS SK8V – VIA K8T800 Motherboard

1GB Corsair XMS DDR SDRAM PC-3200 Registered ECC – 2 x 512MB Module

GeForce? FX 5950 Ultra 256MB 8x AGP w/DVI &amp; S-Video

AlienIce? Video Cooling System – Terra Green

120GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 Serial ATA 7,200 RPM 8MB Cache

16x DVD-ROM – Black w/Software MPEG-2 Decoder

Lite-On 52x32x52x CD-RW – Black

3.5″ 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive – Black

Creative Sound Blaster? Audigy 2 ZS – 7.1

Integrated 3com Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

Microsoft? Windows XP Home Edition

Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard – Space Black

Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 – USB – Space Black

Microsoft Works Suite 2004

Free Alienware T-Shirt – Black

AlienAutopsy: Automated Technical Support Request System

Now that I have seen the future and it looks bright I have to take a step back to the bargain basement and show you all what computers are on the soon to be deceased list and are basically dead on arrival (DOA) to the computer stores, because all the profits have evaporated into the ether as the new technology brought down the price of the old. We turn to my favorite bargain basement computer dealer the one the only E-Machine, if you are not familiar with E-Machine they are a warehouse shipping model company think of a leaner meaner cheaper no frills Dell. E-Machine says that they have a computer for sale that only costs $399 so what could they offer.

The only thing missing from this cut down bargain basement cutie is a monitor which can be purchased for around $99 at any major technology retailer. Making this E-Machine bad boy a $500 before tax bargain this is a working computer that will not jump through hoops or do anything exceptionally cool other than desktop processing and maybe a boring game like golf or something similar.

In conclusion, buying a computer is all about price! I recommend trying to buy just behind the edge of the technology curve in the technology lag. In case you have missed what exactly that means here is a simple example that will clarify the meaning of this mysterious term. Go to a technology store that sells computers like Best Buy, Office Deport, Computer Depot, or any of the other dime a dozen retailers. They get the best computers shipped to them and before they can sell the entire stock of what was the best technology changes and a new shipment comes in and now the retailer has both the new and the old. At this point a technology lag is being expressed between the best and rest so the retailer has to lower the price to make the inferior goods seem more attractive.

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